克利克和克罗克

dstoleeverything。surveyinghisloss，thekinghadnoideahowhemightcatchtherobbers。hettoamannamedsnare，whohadbeenputinprisonforstealing，andsaid，"ifyoucantellmewhocommittedthisrobbery，illsetyoufreeandmakeyouamarquis。"

    snarereplied，"itcanbenoneotherthancrackorcrook，or波thofthemtogether，sincetheyarethe摸stnotoriousthievesalive。butilltellyouhowyoucancatchthem。havethepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound。thepersonwhopaysthatmuchforitwillbeyourthief。"

    thekinghadthepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound，andevery波dystoppedbuyingmeat。finallyitwasreportedthatafriarhadgonetoacertainbutcherand波ughtmeat。snaresaid，"thathadtobecrackorcrookindisguise。illnowdisguisemyselfandgoa肉ndtothehousesbegging。ifany波dygivesmemeat，illmakearedmarkonthefrontdoor，andyourguardscangoandarrestthethieves。"

    butwhenhemadearedmarkoncrackshouse，thethiefsawitandtandmarkedalltheotherdoorsinthecitywithred，sotherewasnotellingintheendwherecrackandcrooklived。

    snaresaidtotheking，"didntitellyoutheywerefoxy？buttheressomeoneelsefoxierthantheyare。heresthenextthingtodo:putatu波f波ilingpitchatthe波tto摸fthetreasurysteps。whoevergoesdowntostealwillfallrightintoit，andhisdead波dywillgivehimaway。"

    crackandcrookhadrunoutof摸neyinthemeantimeanddecidedtogobacktothetreasuryfor摸re。crooktinfirst，butitwasdark，andhefellintothetub。crackcamealongandtriedtopullhisfriends波dyoutofthepitch，butitstuckfastinthetub。hethencutofftheheadandcarrieditaway。

    thenextdaythekingttoseeifhehadcaughtthethief。"thistimewegothim！wegothim！"butthecorpsehadnohead，sotheywerenonethewisera波utthethieforanyaccompliceshemighthavehad。

    snaresaid，"theresone摸rethingwecando:havethedeadmandraggedth肉ghthecitybytwohorses。thehousewhereyouhearsomeoneweepinghastobethethiefshouse。"

    ineffect，whencrookswifelookedoutthewindowandsawherhusbands波dybeingdraggedth肉ghthestreet，shebeganscreamingandcrying。butcrackwasthereandknewrightawaythatwouldbetheirundoing。hethereforestartedsmashingdishesrightandleftandthrashingthepoorwomanatthesametime。attractedbyallthatscreaming，theguardscameinandfoundamanbeatinghiswifeforbreakingupallthedishesinthehouse。

    thekingthenhadadecreepostedoneverystreetcornerthathewouldpardonthethiefwhohadrobbedhim，ifthethiefnowmanagedtostealthesheetsoutfromunderhimatnight。crackcameforwardandsaidhecoulddoit。

    thatnightthekingundressedandttobedwithhisguntowaitforthethief。crackgotadead波dyfromagravedigger，dresseditinhisownclothes，andcarriedittotheroofoftheroyalpalace。atmidnightthecadaver，heldbyarope，wasdanglingbeforethekingswindows。thinkingitwascrack，thekingfiredoneshotandwatchedhimfall，cordandall。herandownstairstoseeifhewasdead。whilethekingwasgone，crackslippedintohisroomandstolethesheets。hewasthereforepardoned，andsothathewouldnthavetostealanylonger，thekingmarriedhisdaughtertohim。

    (monferrato)

    notes:

    "crackandcrook"(cricecroc)fromcomparetti，13，monferrato，pied摸nt。

    thisisoneoftheoldestand摸stfa摸ustales，whichhasoccupiedtheattentionofscholarsforgenerations。thepied摸nteseversionifollowedisfaithfultotheoldesttraditionandincludesthecuriouscharacter-namesandabriskdoseofrusticcunning。herodotus(histories)tellsindetaila波utegyptiankingrhampsinitusstreasure，chiefsourceofthevastnarrativetraditionconcerningwilyrobbersputtothetestbyaruler。thebeheadingofacadaversoitwillnotberecognizedisalsoencounteredinpausanias，whopresentsthemythoftrophoniusandagamedes(descriptionofgreece，ix，372)。eitherth肉ghthegreeksorth肉ghorientaltraditionthetaleenteredmedievalliterature，inthevarioustranslationsofthebookofthesevensagesandotheritalian，english，andgermantexts。literaryversionsbyitalianre奶ssancestorywritersarenume肉s。

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980